The Ins and Outs of Dropbox

The Ins and Outs of Dropbox

Dropbox has become an instrument in the essentials for any business that also deals with clients on the internet—and in 2017, who doesn’t? You can place any file in your Dropbox folder, regardless of the extension or file size, and access it from wherever. Tablet, smartphone, new computer—it doesn’t matter. You can get to your files through this cloud-based service, and what’s even better: you can share them just as easily.

You don’t have to stare at the little blue bar while you upload attachments to your emails, only to find out that the file size is too large, or unsupported anyway. With Dropbox, you’re always using the most up to date file. Gone are the days of scanning through your dated folders, only to find out that you don’t know where you put the most recent file, or that it’s floating around your downloads folder, which probably looks like a post-apocalyptic mess. Does anyone really clear out their downloads folder?

Quick Collaboration

It makes collaborating with colleagues, employees, and employers easier, faster, and safer. You always have the option to download the file from Dropbox to your computer. If you’re one of those people who fear that the cloud-based system we’ve all come to rely on could crash at any time, then you’ll want to utilize this feature to keep updated back-ups on your own personal devices. If you’re not into storing your own files on a disc or flash drive, then hold tight, because it’s a lot easier than you think with the syncing feature.

Dropbox is free for the first two gigabytes of space, which when you think about the most commonly-shared files you’ll be using, such as Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel, you can do just about anything with that storage capacity. You can download the Dropbox client to your preferred web browser, and see it as an extension on your menu bar right along the top.

This feature is particularly helpful. It displays a drop-down menu of the most recently-used files, whether by you or a colleague and shows you the last time that file was accessed or altered. You get two options in this little interface—Dropbox.com and your Dropbox folder. This is where you’re going to see all of your locally-stored copies of each file, which get automatically synced to your computer as a means of back-up. For you who don’t want to rely on the cloud, but can’t deny the need to use one, this is the perfect hybrid.

Get Files onto Dropbox

Putting a file into Dropbox is simple as can be. You simply drag and drop into the appropriate file from the menu bar extension. You can also access your account on Dropbox.com to upload files in the traditional way that you’re already used to—clicking the “Upload” button and searching for said file or files.

How To Share

While in the Dropbox.com menu, displaying all of your files that are synced with Dropbox, simply right-click on the specific folder or file, and select “Invite To Document.” Here, you can input email addresses to send the share invitation to, and when they accept it, they’ll have access to those specific folders or documents you’ve allowed. They won’t be able to access your entire Dropbox archive; only what you’ve invited them to view.

Conclusion

With everything and everybody running on cloud-based networks, the security can sometimes be questionable. With Dropbox, you’re getting your locally-stored folder auto-synced any time there’s a change made to a file on your Dropbox account, whether it be from yourself or a third-party access user, and the feature of online storage. If you’re going to choose a cloud program, go with Dropbox.